


Feel the Beat of My Racing Heart

by enjolras_lexa



Category: Spring Awakening - Sheik/Sater, bare: A Pop Opera - Hartmere/Intrabartolo
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Canon Compliant, Coming Out, Deaf Character, Deaf West Spring Awakening - Freeform, Flamboyantly Gay Jason, Muggleborn Peter, Multi, Not Canon Compliant, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Polyamory, Romance, Secret Relationship, Slow Burn, because he deserves to be out and happy, except the sad parts, pureblood jason, so like, theatre nerd peter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-19
Updated: 2019-07-01
Packaged: 2019-10-10 10:38:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17424296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enjolras_lexa/pseuds/enjolras_lexa
Summary: “Yeah, the Sorting makes me nervous too. I’m Muggleborn, so I’m not sure what to expect. My mom wanted to ignore the letter and send me to Catholic school.”“That’s crazy,” Jason said incredulously. “You can’t not go to Hogwarts. It’s the best school for wizards and witches there is! You don’t have to be scared though. I’m, well, pureblood, and I have no idea how they sort us. We’ll have to find out when we get there I guess.” Jason lowered his voice on the word ‘pureblood’ as though he were embarrassed of it.“At least you always knew you were a wizard.” Peter looked at the ground. “I had no idea until my letter came”.Hogwarts AU! When Headmaster Gabor allows the performance of a popular Shakespeare play in the interest of house unity, even he couldn't have anticipated the effects it would have on the seventh year class. (Romance happens. Obviously.)





	1. No Way To Handle Things

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! So I got into both Bare and Spring Awakening fairly recently and both shows made me ridiculously emotional and gay so I thought I'd share my obsessions with you people. If you're not familiar maybe listen/watch before you read the fic? 
> 
> Also Jason is kinda out of character in this because he's not miserable and closeted. (Peter is still kinda miserable and closeted.) The others are probably ooc too because I'm new to these fandoms so please be patient with me. 
> 
> Enjoy the read and let me know what you think!

 

It had all started one day in the last few weeks of sixth year when Peter had remarked to Jason over morning pumpkin juice: “It sucks that Hogwarts doesn’t have a drama club.”

Or maybe that wasn’t really where it all began.

 

***

 

Peter and Jason had been best friends since their first year at Hogwarts. They had met for the first time on the train, just two nervous eleven-year-olds off to boarding school for the first time in their lives. Peter had looked up to see two startlingly clear blue eyes and a mop of tangled light-brown hair, and felt his mind go blissfully blank when the other boy had asked if he could sit with him.

“Uh, sure,” the redhead finally managed. “I’m Peter Simmonds.”

“Jason McConnell,” he’d returned, ignoring Peter’s proffered hand and pulling him into a quick hug instead. Peter tried not to blush, but felt his face heat up anyway. What was happening to him?

“I’m a first-year,” Jason added as he put his trunk under his seat.

“So am I. Are you as nervous as I am?”

Jason shrugged. “Depends, how nervous _are_ you? I’m a little jittery about the Sorting, but I think we’ll be okay. We as in me and my twin sister Nadia I mean, I’m not sure where she got to.”

Peter tried not to look too disappointed at not being included in the ‘we’.

“Yeah, the Sorting makes me nervous too. I’m Muggleborn, so I’m not sure what to expect. My mom wanted to ignore the letter and send me to Catholic school.”

“That’s crazy,” Jason said incredulously. “You can’t not go to Hogwarts. It’s the best school for wizards and witches there is! You don’t have to be scared though. I’m, well, pureblood, and I have no idea how they sort us. We’ll have to find out when we get there I guess.” Jason lowered his voice on the word ‘ _pureblood_ ’ as though he were embarrassed of it.

“At least you always knew you were a wizard.” Peter looked at the ground. “I had no idea until my letter came.”

Jason’s face softened.

“Hey, most people are Muggleborn or half-blood, you won't be any more behind than anyone else. And anyway, having wizard parents isn’t necessarily any better." 

"What do you mean?"

"Just higher expectations I guess. All my family's been to Hogwarts, and both of my parents work for the Ministry. And I know there’s no hope of me making the House Quidditch team at all, let alone being Quidditch Captain like my dad was. First years never make the teams, but I'll have to try out anyway. Dad'll want me to 'make sure they know who I am' for like the future or whatever."

"You seem pretty sporty though."

"I can run and stuff?" Jason shrugged again. "Muggle sports come easily to me I guess. You don't have to be as graceful as you do on a broomstick. Plus I hate heights. I did a lot of baseball and soccer when I was younger but-"

"They call it football, here," Peter interrupted in an exaggerated fake British accent. Jason burst out laughing.

"Yeah, but like that'd impress my father. Wizarding sports, on the other hand..." He trailed off. 

"Why don't I go with you?" 

Jason looked at him. "Seriously?" 

"Yeah! Why not? I know we don't know each other, but we can be like friends, can't we? I don't know anyone here, so-" 

"Me neither! Except my sister, but like - yeah that's perfect." 

"Do you have to audition?" Peter asked. "Also just so you know, I have no idea how to play so I'll probably suck at it."

"Oh, right, I’m so stupid, you’re Muggleborn! Here, I’ll explain. So there are seven players to a team…”  

They had met again in their house dormitory after they had both been sorted into Slytherin, and the rest was history.

 

 ***

 

Peter was closest with Jason, of course, and also Matt and Moritz who shared their Slytherin dorm with them, but with confident Jason as his best friend it was easy to connect with those in their year from other houses as well. Melchior, the Headmaster's son, was a studious Ravenclaw and Moritz's best friend, along with fellow Ravenclaws Ilse and Martha. Jason's Gryffindor sister Nadia joined the group routinely, but she always made an excuse to leave whenever her dorm-mate Ivy, Matt's longtime crush, appeared. Georg and Thea, also Gryffindors, became part of their set after Peter and Jason had done a group project with them in Potions class. Wendla, a pretty Hufflepuff, never seemed to be far from Melchior, even though he insisted they were just friends.

Neither of the boys made the Quidditch team their first year (nor had they expected to), but they practiced together as often as they could so that they could stand a chance at the next try-out. Peter was surprised to find he liked flying, and it was fun to watch his own enthusiasm catch on to Jason. Peter had often found himself jealous of the other boy's good grades and the way he made friends so easily, not to say the least of how good-looking the boy was, but on the Quidditch pitch they were even. Peter even found himself overtaking Jason sometimes. 

When Peter made the team second year and Jason didn't, Peter was sure it would lead to their first fight, and maybe Jason wouldn't even want to be his friend anymore. But Jason had congratulated him just as warmly as everyone else. 

"You're so light and graceful when you fly, Pete, of course you made Seeker," he had said, clapping Peter on the back. "I can try out again next year, or better yet, my dad will _finally_ drop it and decide I'm still his son even if I'm not a Quidditch star. Stranger things have happened." 

"If you say so."

When Jason made Keeper at the start of their Third Year, Peter congratulated him just as strongly as Jason had done for him, and tried to resign himself to living in his best friend's shadow.  

 

***

 

It was the day after Jason's and Nadia's thirteenth birthday Third Year that Jason finally confided in Peter what Peter had been hoping to hear him say practically since they met. It terrified and thrilled him all at once to see it confirmed at last. 

"I told my parents...something," Jason had said mysteriously as soon as he and Peter had the dorm to themselves. Jason looked nervous, glancing from the floor to the door to Peter's eyes hesitantly as though checking his reaction. 

"What is it?" Peter asked, knowing there was only one thing that would make _him_ this nervous. Maybe he was projecting onto Jason, imagining what he wanted to see. Could Jason really be-?

"I'm gay," Jason blurted. "I- I like boys, not girls. I'm gay." 

Peter digested the news with a mixture of happiness and fear. "Cool. How did your parents take it?" He figured it was the only safe response. 

Jason looked relieved that Peter didn't seem to have a problem with it. "It was okay. Obviously they weren't thrilled, but whose parents would be? Especially an old, pureblooded family like ours. But they're fine, they didn't hate the idea. I couldn't even say the actual word. They asked Nadia if there were any boys at school  _she_ liked, and she said no, so I sorta jumped in and said there was a boy _I_ liked. I think it was pretty clear anyway though." 

Peter's heart sped up. "Well, I'm happy for you. My parents would freak if I ever told them anything like that." 

"You mean that you're-" 

"No, no of course not," Peter jumped in quickly, ignoring how Jason almost seemed.....disappointed? " _I'm_ not, it's just, you know, they're really religious and conservative and they think it's wrong and, well-" 

"I'm sorry," Jason said. "That can't be easy, to be around people who hate...people like that. Even though you're not." 

"Yeah." 

There was a silence, until Peter broke it with a question he knew he'd regret asking later. "How did you know? That you were-" 

"How did you know you're not?" Jason countered with an amused look on his face. 

"I just-" Peter blushed. "I can't be, I mean, you know. _That_. But I don't know if I like girls either. Maybe I just don't like anyone that way." 

"That's possible too," Jason pointed out. "Have you ever kissed anyone?" 

Peter shook his head. "You?" 

"Wendla and Ivy," Jason admitted. "No boys though. Yet. So not a kiss that really counted."

"Do you want to-" Peter took a deep breath, feeling himself get bolder. "Just to confirm, you know. That you are and that I'm not." 

Jason's eyes lit up when he understood what Peter was hinting at. "Really? You want to-" 

"Wouldn't you like to know for sure?" Peter scooted closer to him where they were sitting on the floor between their two beds, hoping to whatever God might be listening that no one would suddenly walk in and ruin this for him. He was on the verge of saying "Just kidding!" when Jason leaned in. 

It was warm, very warm. For a moment that was all Peter could register, just the warmth of someone else's lips pressed against his own. Then Jason started to move his lips, and the electricity was almost too much to handle. When Peter felt Jason open his mouth he almost pushed him away, but this was the point, wasn't it, to have a real kiss? Peter opened his own mouth hesitantly, feeling the bizarre sensation of a tongue touching his own tongue. Kissing was weird when you really stopped to think about it. It was nice, though. Really nice. _Really_ nice to be kissing Jason like this, and then Peter's brain caught up with him and screamed "You're kissing a boy! You _like_ kissing boys!" and it was that that finally made Peter break the kiss and push Jason back. 

"There," he said lamely, one hand on Jason's chest and nope, that was not helping at all. He stood up and sat down on his bed, a safe three feet away from the boy he had just passionately kissed. 

"Now you've kissed someone," Jason added with an over-confident smirk. "How was it?" 

"Good," Peter blurted before he could say anything else. He cleared his throat. "A good first kiss, I mean. Even though you're a boy." 

"So you don't..."Jason trailed off. Peter shrugged. 

"Well I definitely like boys," Jason said emphatically. "So like, experiment successful, for me anyway. And I guess for you too, I mean. Now you know for sure." 

"Yeah," Peter agreed, letting Jason believe the easy lie. 

 It wasn't a problem for them after that, just some minor awkwardness whenever their bodies happened to accidentally brush, but that all evaporated within a few days. They were too close as friends to bother with any of that nonsense. Peter had sworn himself to secrecy as to Jason's orientation, but over the week following their kiss Jason began telling the rest of their friend group himself. Peter was happy no one had a problem with it. Hogwarts was far from the Catholic school his parents had wanted him to attend a few short years ago. It was good to be sure of a positive reaction for when he finally decided to- 

But it was all hypothetical, right? Because Peter might not like girls like that but that didn't make him...did it? 

The subject of Jason's orientation didn't come up again until he and Zach started dating at the start of Fourth Year. If Jason even noticed that Peter seemed dejected, neither of them mentioned it. The relationship didn't last, but Jason was officially openly gay at school and started dating someone new within the month. 

 

***

 

Fourth and Fifth year passed relatively uneventfully, besides the unfortunate Moritz failing his O.W.L. exams. He was permitted to re-take them since he had been so close to a passing mark, and passed second time around with flying colours, but his father had already sent him four Howlers to the effect of "Don't bother coming home" so Melchior insisted that he move in with him and his family.

It was a little nerve-wracking for Moritz at first, living with the Headmaster (Melchior's father) but he and Melchior became such close friends that it didn't matter as much as he thought it would. When Wendla and Melchior started spending more time together, even though they both made it clear it was on a just-as-friends basis only, Moritz started hanging out with Peter more often as he made excuses to spend as little time with Jason and whichever boyfriend he had this week. Peter thought it was a good system; neither of them had admitted it but it was clear they both knew that Moritz was as hung up on Melchior as Peter was on Jason.

At the end of Fifth Year, Jason had had more than enough of only seeing Peter within the group. He brought it up in another fateful conversation held when he managed to secure an empty dorm. 

"Peter, wait."

Peter had been about to leave for supper, but Jason sounded so serious that he had to stop. "What is it?" 

"What is it?!" Jason was incredulous. "I never see you anymore!"

"That's not true-" 

"Yeah, it is. I see you at meals and at Quidditch and with the others, but whenever I say 'Let's go to Hogsmeade' or even just 'Let's hang out because we're supposed to be best friends for Merlin's sake' you blow me off. You won't even meet Eric." Jason ran his hands through his hair the way he did whenever he was distressed. Peter tried not to let it show that he'd memorized the gesture. "Just admit that you've been avoiding me." 

"Why would I be avoiding you?" Peter tried to keep his face impassive. 

"Look, when I told you that I was gay, you said you were fine with it. And yet I can't talk to my own best friend about my new boyfriend, because he won't even meet him! I don't know if you're homophobic all of a sudden or if you just don't want to be friends anymore, but-"

"Hey, hey, wait a minute," Peter grabbed hold of Jason's arms and steadied him, forcing himself to meet Jason's eyes. Those perfect fucking blue eyes- NO! STOP IT! Peter shook himself mentally.

He was his best friend, maybe Jason could never know the whole truth ( _He'd never feel that way about me,_ Peter thought bitterly) but he had to tell him part of it at least. Jason couldn't be allowed to believe that his best friend hated him and was abandoning him. "First of all, Eric is boyfriend number nine. I figured it wouldn't last long enough for my meeting him to be a big deal. I'm sorry. And I am fine with you being gay, I just- it's hard to see you with all those guys." 

"Why?" Jason's voice was soft, but his face looked so stern, and _those blue eyes_ - 

"I was jealous," Peter blurted. Before Jason could say anything, he added, "Because you have someone and I don't."

"Peter-"

"There's more."  _I'm in love with you, Jason, God forgive me._ "I'm- It's hard for me to see that you have a boyfriend and I don't. You're so out and happy, and your parents are okay with it and-" 

"Peter, it's okay." Jason pulled him into a hug.  

Peter obstinately blinked away the tears, and the guilt. Technically every word he'd told Jason was the truth, he'd just left out what Jason wouldn't want to hear. It wasn't a _lie_ , right?

"Please don't say anything to anyone." 

"I would never," Jason reassured him. "They'd all accept you here, though. You know that." 

"I know, I'm just- I'm not ready. And what if my parents found out, my _mother_ , I just-"

"It's okay."

 

Which brings us to Seventh Year, and the story of the creation of the first ever Hogwarts School Drama Club. 

 


	2. Yes Pray For Him To The Lord Your God

 

"This is either the best idea you've ever had, or the worst." Jason fidgeted in his seat as he watched the other prospective Romeos audition. 

"Come on, this is fun!" Peter playfully punched Jason's arm. 

Hogwarts didn't have an auditorium, but it did have the Room of Requirement, so it was pretty much a no-brainer to let the newly formed drama club take it over (at least for a year). The plan was to sell enough tickets to raise money towards renting a theatre space Madame Rosmerta ran in Hogsmeade and rented out to the Hogwarts choir and a few other small groups and clubs that met in town. If their play was a success, the club could establish itself there permanently as well. Otherwise if there wasn't enough interest for it to be worth it, it would have to disband. No pressure?  

Obviously acting isn't exactly Jason's first choice in extracurricular activities, but his latest boyfriend Tony was planning on going out for Mercutio, and Melchior had pulled all those strings with his father, and Nadia wanted brotherly moral support to help her beat Ivy to getting Juliet, and- 

And Peter. Stupid Peter's stupid adorable "please Jason?" and his own stupid need to give in. His own feelings aside, Peter was his best friend. His super-platonic best guy friend who had just come out to him as gay- 

 _And who doesn't need this from you right now,_ Jason reminded himself. _Focus, Jason._ _You like Tony, Peter doesn't want to come out yet let alone date anyone, and you're here to support your friends and hopefully score a spot in the chorus that won't attract too much unwanted attention._

_***_

 

Two days later, Jason was staring down the cast list in disbelief. 

Romeo - Jason McConnell (understudy Melchior Gabor)

No matter how many times he read it, the sentence stayed the same. It just couldn't be happening. Jason scanned the rest of the list, maybe Nadia had gotten Juliet? She was a talented actress, and one of them should be happy at least. 

Juliet - Wendla Bergman (Ivy Robinson) 

No such luck then. 

 

Nurse - Nadia McConnell (Ilse Neuman)

Mercutio - Peter Simmonds (Hanschen) 

Benvolio - Ernst Robel (Lucas Carter - swing)

Tybalt - Moritz Stiefel (Lucas Carter) 

Paris - Matthew Lloyd (Georg Zirschnitz - swing)

Lord Montague/Capulet (Georg Zirschnitz) 

Friar - Otto Lammermeier 

Lady Montague/Capulet (Martha Bessel)

Prince(ess) Escalus - Ilse Neuman (Otto Lammermeier)

*All understudies and swings as well as all those who auditioned and did not receive a part will get a spot in the chorus. 

 

"Nurse....." Nadia rolled her eyes and took off out of the Room, not bothering to stick around and watch Ivy sulk over being the understudy.

Jason spotted Matt trying to talk to her. 

"Yeah, that's too bad. I wanted Romeo obviously, and if you'd gotten Juliet-" 

 

 Peter tapped Jason on the shoulder. "Hey! Congrats!" He looked happy for him, even though Jason knew he'd auditioned for Romeo too and must be a little disappointed. "Guess I did you a favour, getting you to audition, right?" 

Jason laughed it off, trying to talk somewhat normally even though his nerves were already shot at the idea of having to act in front of an audience. He glanced away from Peter at a very not-happy Tony who was watching them from across the room.

Yep, Jason was screwed. 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh it's so short I'm sorry. I'm trying to finish off my other fic [Strange Beings](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17204702/chapters/40455119) (it's a Dear Evan Hansen soulmate AU, if that's your thing feel free to check it out) and I got sidetracked. Sorry! It definitely will happen again. 
> 
> Also I have a headcanon that Jason has anxiety about performing and that's why the whole "acting's not my thing" but whatever that's just my feelings
> 
> Kudos/comment/subscribe (if you want, no pressure)
> 
> Inbox me on [tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/enjolras-lexa) (i.e. yell at me until I finally update)


	3. Just Watch Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter pines.

 

Peter went to Potions and didn’t think about Jason.

He and Moritz had paired up and between them managed to scrape a halfway decent Draught of Living Death together. It wouldn’t get him an O, but Peter had been reasonably pleased with it. Seeing Jason’s cocky smirk after he and Melchior had given in a perfect potion had definitely not contributed to Peter’s good mood. Nope, not at all, Jason who? At least no one else had noticed Peter’s blush. Well, no one but Jason. And probably Moritz, Peter knew he hadn’t been that subtle. Moritz might be profoundly deaf but he could probably still hear Peter’s heart race when Jason had grinned at him and slapped him on the shoulder as he passed their table.

Then he went to Transfiguration and didn’t think about Jason. He and Ivy had been paired together, unluckily enough. She was still pissed over not getting Juliet.

“But you’re the understudy,” Peter had tried to reason with her, “You’ll probably still end up going on, we’ll be running for a week.” Ivy’s death glare had been enough to make him fall silent. It was a shame, they usually got on really well.

Then Defence Against the Dark Arts. Then Advanced Charms, then a quick meeting to set up Quidditch practice for that Saturday while Jason and Wendla ran lines, which was a bit of a longer process with her being hard-of-hearing and Jason’s signing not being as good as Peter’s.

Afterwards, he went to the Library before supper, still without thinking about Jason.

Peter sighed. He couldn’t even fool himself.

He had spent the entire day thinking about Jason. Even now, in the Slytherin dorm going over his lines while everyone else slept, he was all Peter could focus on. He’d been so distressed over getting the lead in the play that Peter had made him try out for. He’d looked terrified at the prospect of performing for an audience. Jason hid it pretty well but Peter saw right through it, he had always been able to see through Jason’s facade. Of course he did, they were best friends.

Of course, Peter had spent pretty much every day thinking about Jason before the play had become part of their lives, so this wasn’t really anything new. But no one needed to know about that. Least of all Jason.

No, Peter was a concerned best friend, period, because Jason was dating half the school and Peter wouldn’t even be on his radar even if he was willing to come out. Jason was the only one who knew, and Peter was fine with that. No one else needed to know. And if his mother found out somehow-

Peter shoved his script into his backpack, undid the Muffliato he’d put around his four-poster bed as not to disturb the others, and scooted under the covers.

“Nox,” he muttered tiredly, and the light at the tip of his wand flickered out like a candle. Maybe he’d be able to sleep after all, and not-dream about Jason after a whole day of not-thinking about him. Fat chance.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting this on my phone, so hopefully the formatting’s not too screwy. 
> 
> Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!


	4. I’ll Be With You Always

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long hiatus, just got caught up with other things. This’ll be the last chapter I think (see end notes). Thanks so much for all the support!

 

Jason was miserable.

He went from class to class, keeping his head down and talking as little as possible. Now it was after supper, and he had snuck away early to ‘do homework’ in the dorm, meaning to sulk on his bed by himself.

It was nice and quiet here. He needed that right now. Everyone always expected something from him. Everyone wanted him to be this person that he wasn’t and never could be in a million years. 

It had not been an easy couple of days.

Problem number one, that stupid school play.

He was Romeo, the straight romantic lead of all characters, but especially the _lead_ role. Never mind having to kiss a girl onstage in front of Merlin only knew how many people. He was supposed to be that one guy with pretty much the most lines. He, Jason, who was pretty confident in the day to day but who would absolutely fall on his face if forced to recite Shakespeare in front of an audience. _Especially_ without Peter’s help. He was so royally screwed.

 _Don’t think about Peter,_ Jason told himself. _Just don’t, there’s no point in it. Not if he’ll never think about you that way._

He wasn’t even dating anyone right now, it was just too hard. Too hard because he knew it made Peter jealous of his openness to see him with a guy, and too hard for him because not being able to be around Peter sucked.

At first it had just been bad enough falling for your straight best friend. He had figured at the time that he’d just get over it, date other people, no need to have Peter find out and ruin the friendship. Not so easy, as it turns out, especially when said straight best friend does turn out to be gay after all, just not interested in you. Plus Peter’s family didn’t know and he was still too scared to tell anyone from school.

Jason hated flaunting his ‘boyfriends’ (if they could even be called that) in Peter’s face, that was bad enough and made him feel like a total jerk. Worse still, he wasn’t interested in any of them. Just Peter. There had never been anyone for him but Peter.

Just then, a group of boys came back from supper, Peter included. Jason avoided his eye, and drew his curtains, making some half-assed excuse about reading something for Charms. It didn’t work.

 

 

_____

 

 

Peter opened one of the curtains hiding Jason from view and peered around the corner of the fabric.

Jason was lying on his bed with his eyes shut, absentmindedly drawing patterns in the air with the point of his wand.

“Jason?” he asked tentatively.

“What?” Jason said without opening his eyes. He sounded exhausted. 

Peter hated that. Hated hearing him sound so defeated, hated all the pressure he must be under. Hated himself right now most of all for what he was about to do, knowing it would only be another weight on Jason’s shoulders to have to reject his best friend. 

“Is something wrong?”

“Of course not,” Jason said quickly. Too quickly. “Just...tired. Lots of work. My head’s in thirty different places. Are the others still here?”

Peter shook his head, then remembered that Jason couldn’t see him. “Quidditch game, Ravenclaw versus Hufflepuff. I said I wasn’t feeling well. It’s not even a lie.”

Jason sat up. “What’s wrong,” he said softly.

Peter took that as an invitation, crawling up onto Jason’s bed and closing the curtains again behind him to give them some privacy in case anybody came back unexpectedly. “I need to tell you something,” he said carefully, avoiding Jason’s blue eyes.

“So do I,” Jason replied.

“Well?” Peter asked after a moment, fully expecting to hear that he didn’t want to be friends anymore, or he had a new boyfriend and it was true love this time, or he was quitting Hogwarts and moving to Switzerland. Fully ready to hear something that would finally break his heart for good. “What is it?”

Jason seemed to hesitate. “Tell me to stop, push me, punch me in the face, whatever. Just- just tell me if this isn’t what you want.”

Before Peter could ask “What the hell does any of that mean?” Jason was kissing him.

He was kissing Peter and it was like all those years ago but better, and they were holding hands and somehow Peter’s lips were kissing back even though his brain hadn’t caught up yet. Peter squeezed Jason’s hands then let go so he could wrap his arms around him, and Jason was just as eager and was running his fingers through Peter’s hair until it must have bee a complete and total mess. Peter made a small surprised noise into Jason’s mouth as suddenly he was on his back and Jason was covering his body with his own and still kissing him as though he never wanted to stop.

There would need to be a conversation, love confessions and coming out to mothers and friends. Talking through boundaries and expectations and relationships. But for now, this was pretty good. There would be plenty of time for talking later.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that’s it! The overall story isn’t quite over but I wanted to wrap up the romance part instead of just abandoning it. I might do a sequel to finish it off but with my schedule I’m really not sure. If anyone wanted to co-write a sequel or even just totally take over let me know in the comments <3 Thanks again for being so wonderful and putting up with me 
> 
> \- EL


End file.
